Obituary for Michael Oliver-Goodwin Michael Oliver-Goodwin, born Michael Goodwin, an important chronicler of Louisiana culture in prose and film, died peacefully in his sleep on November 28th, 2018 at age 77. He was born in New York City on October 9th, 1941. His parents, Rosa Marin and Joseph Goodwin, and his brother, Jerry Goodwin, preceded him in death.
After completing his B.A. in English at Cornell, he moved back to New York City where he cut his teeth learning the publishing business by day, chased John Coltrane, Eric Dolphy and Mose Allison from club to club in the Village at night and hung out with folk musicians, political activists and underground filmmakers in between. Attracted by the phenomenon that was the “Summer of Love”, Mr. Oliver-Goodwin motorcycled West to the Bay Area. There, his passion for film led him to work for Francis Ford Coppola on numerous projects and he later co-wrote an unauthorized biography of Coppola with Mr. Oliver-Goodwin’s first wife, Naomi Wise.
He also worked intimately with Les Blank, writing the narration for the Oscar-nominated film on Werner Herzog, “Burden of Dreams”, chosen as Best Feature-Length Documentary of 1983 by the British Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. While scouting location for “Always a Pleasure”, Blank’s seminal celebration of New Orleans, Mr. Oliver-Goodwin fell deeply in love and immersed himself in the city’s music, food and culture. He later wrote the first national pieces about the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival and the Dirty Dozen Brass Band and obituaries for both Professor Longhair and James Booker in the Village Voice.
When he discovered the deep connection between New Orleans’ Mardi Gras and Trinidad’s Carnival, he adopted that culture as well, traveled there frequently and produced two calypso CDs for Rounder Records and a live tribute to legendary calypsonian Mighty Spoiler in Port of Spain. Mr. Oliver-Goodwin was the Rolling Stone’s first film critic and served as managing Editor of the film journal Take One. His feature stories have appeared in The New York Times Sunday Magazine, Mother Jones, Penthouse, and Esquire among other notable journals.
His latest book, a celebration of New Orleans’ street music and culture titled Heaven Before I Die—A Journey to the Heart of New Orleans, was published in 2010. Mr. Oliver-Goodwin is survived by his wife, Jennifer Oliver-Goodwin, his son Richard Oliver-Goodwin and wife Jennifer (Cronin) Oliver-Goodwin, and his three grandsons Davis, Liam and Malcolm. Family, friends, and others whose lives Michael touched are invited to attend a Celebration of Life service at 11 a.m. Saturday, December 8th at the Ashe Cultural Arts Center, 1712 Oretha Castle Haley Boulevard.
Arrangements by D.W. Rhodes Funeral Home. Please visit www. rhodesfuneral.com to share online condolences.
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